Method for laminating flat support materials on substrates

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for permanently joining an essentially flat support material to a substrate, in particular for laminating a plastic film to a metal substrate, wherein the at least essentially flat support material and/or the substrate is/are initially impinged upon by a connecting agent, preferably, an adhesive and subsequently the support material and the substrate are brought together in such a manner that the support material is permanently connected to the substrate, in particular, the plastic film is laminated on the metal substrate, and optionally, measuring and/or shaping of the thus formed composite material is carried out.

The invention claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for producing molded objects provided with a printed decorative pattern,
 (i) wherein, in a first step, a printed or decorative plastic film comprising a printing or decorative pattern is permanently joined to a plate-shaped metal substrate, wherein initially the plastic film and/or the metal substrate is or are loaded with a bonding agent in the form of a radiation cross-linking reactive adhesive and wherein then the plastic film and the metal substrate are brought together, such that the plastic film is joined permanently with the metal substrate and in this way is laminated onto the metal substrate, thus resulting in a composite material, and 
 (ii) wherein subsequently the composite material made from the printed or decorative plastic film and metal substrate is shaped into a three-dimensionally shaped molded object by a shaping process which is selected from the group consisting of deep-drawing, draw-forming, stretch-forming, non-cutting forming, bending, embossing and stamping, wherein the printing or decorative pattern comprised by the plastic film is protected during the shaping process. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein loading the plastic film and/or the metal substrate with the bonding agent includes a step of applying the bonding agent over the metal substrate so that the plastic film is joined over the entire area of the substrate. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  which further includes a step of applying a clamping force while applying heat. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein the initial step of loading the plastic film and/or the metal substrate with the bonding agent includes a step of applying the bonding agent on two sides of the metal substrate. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is performed continuously and in an automated way, wherein the plastic film and the metal substrate to be joined with the plastic film are brought together and joined with each other continuously after applying the adhesive by means of continuously moving transport devices. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the initial step of loading of the plastic film and/or the metal substrate is performed with the bonding agent over the entire area and homogeneously with a uniform layer thickness of the bonding agent. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bonding agent is applied in a quantity of 0.1 to 50 g/m 2  and with a layer thickness of 0.001 to 1 mm. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the initial step of applying the bonding agent is performed by means of apparatuses selected from the group consisting of nozzles, spraying devices, doctor blades, and cylinders. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bonding agent is a solvent-free hot-melt adhesive. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the hot-melt adhesive has a Brookfield viscosity value in the range of 50 to 1,000,000 mPa·s at processing temperatures in the range of 90° C. to 200° C. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9 , characterized in that the hot-melt adhesive is based on a silane-grafted polyolefin. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the hot-melt adhesive contains at least one catalyst selected from the group consisting of organic tin compounds, alkyl mercaptide compounds of the dibutyltin, organic iron, lead, cobalt, bismuth, antimony, and tin compounds. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the hot-melt adhesive contains at least one additive selected from the group consisting of softeners, high boiling-point organic oils, esters, stabilizers, antioxidants, acid scavengers, fillers, and anti-aging agents used for plastifying. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a non-reactive resin is added to the adhesive, said non-reactive resin being selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbon resins, aliphatic, cyclic, or cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon resins, colophonium resins, terpene phenol resins, coumarone-indene resins, a-methyl styrene resins, polymerized tall resin esters, and ketone aldehyde resins. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a non-reactive wax is added to the adhesive, said non-reactive wax being selected from the group consisting of polyolefin waxes, polyethylene and polypropylene waxes, and waxes modified on this basis. 
     
     
       16. A method for producing molded objects provided with a printed decorative pattern,
 (i) wherein, in a first step, a printed or decorative plastic film comprising a printing or decorative pattern is permanently joined to a plate-shaped metal substrate, wherein initially the plastic film and/or the metal substrate is or are loaded with a bonding agent in the form of a radiation cross-linking reactive adhesive and wherein then the plastic film and the metal substrate are brought together, such that the plastic film is joined permanently with the metal substrate and in this way is laminated onto the metal substrate, thus resulting in a composite material, and 
 (ii) wherein subsequently the composite material made from the printed or decorative plastic film and metal substrate is shaped into a three-dimensionally shaped molded object by a shaping process which is selected from the group consisting of deep-drawing, draw-forming, stretch-forming, non-cutting forming, bending, embossing and stamping.